Union minister Chirag Paswan has been a vocal minister in the Modi 3.0 government, championing the cause of Dalits. From supporting the ‘Bharat Bandh’ call given by the Dalit bodies against the apex court order to speaking against the government's move on filling vacancies through lateral entry to the bureaucracy, the Lok Jan Shakti (RV) chief has often spoken his mind.
Even in the case of the Waqf Bill, his party pushed for wider consultations with the Muslim bodies before it was taken up in the Parliament, thus paving the way for the legislation to be sent to the joint parliamentary committee. While, his cabinet colleagues, particularly those belonging to the BJP, have been ardently supporting the government line, Paswan, as a key NDA ally, has not shied away from taking an 'independent line'.
Paswan lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi's move to cancel the lateral entry advertisement by the Union Public Service Commission (UPSC).. “This is his (PM’s) commitment and dedication the marginalised,” he had said.
He had even taken to micro-blogging site ‘X’ in support of the Bharat Bhandh on Thursday. “It is our duty to become the voice of the rights of the exploited and deprived of the society. The NDA government at the Center led by the Prime Minister has also been committed to the development of the exploited and deprived...”
READ MORE: Chirag hails Centre for seeking cancellation of lateral entry
Paswan has become Union minister for the first time and even his party, Lok Jan Shakti, won five seats in Lok Sabha. This happened after his father, Ramvilas Paswan’s death. Chirag has been on his own since then. He undertook a huge gambit as he walked out of the NDA in 2020, opposing Nitish Kumar. His party contested alone, a move which was interpreted by many as aimed at denting Nitish’s prospects, which it did as the JD(U) tally dropped by 28 seats. But he could not win a seat. After a split in his party, and spending some time in the wilderness, Chirag was back in reckoning as he returned to the NDA fold before the Lok Sabha polls.
Now, with the Bihar polls a year away, Chirag has been fashioning himself as the key youth leader in the state. The churn in the state politics has already begun. With the opposition alliance – RJD and Congress – taking up the cause of social justice through the demand of caste census, the issue will be a key one in assembly polls.
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He may be seen as vocal on some issues, but it doesn’t translate into any chasm with the BJP’s top leadership. Chirag’s vocal support of Dalit cause by opposing lateral entry post and creamy layer criteria in reservation is aimed at not letting the opposition take credit for it. The Bihar polls, next year, may lead to more voices in support of new leadership in the state.
Paswan’s party is holding its national executive meeting in Ranchi on Sunday. The party is likely to contest polls in Jharkhand later this year.
